Fashion as a Pure Art

Hey guys! It's been awhile but I'm attempting to be more consistent with blogging so bare with me please, but I wanted to share something with you about one of my favorite couturiers.

Charles Wilson Brega James was a British-born fashion designer known as "America's First Couturier". A master of cutting, he is most famous for his sumptuous ballgowns and highly structured aesthetic. Charles James is one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century and continues to influence new generations of designers. Throughout his life, Charles James pursued a single-minded quest to raise fashion to a form of pure art. He believed deeply that his “works” would ultimately be judged as museum pieces. Yet his vision constantly vacillated between his belief in haute couture clothes that serve as a laboratory of ideas and his conviction that his made-to-measure techniques could be adapted to the mass market. A man outside of his own time, Charles James left a legacy that guarantees him a place in fashion history.

“Charles James is the greatest couturier.” - Cristobal Balenciaga

Much like many artists that do their art for their well being instead of money, Charles James was the prime example of consumers failing to appreciate true art. After being forced to mass produce the un-mass produceable, he was faded out due to the uniquity of his techniques. He never let that break him as an artist and continued to produce museum quality pieces for those deserving.

So often as artist we come to a point when we have to decide what it is we truly aim to accomplish via our craft. Whether it is how can we maximize profits?.. Or reach more people? But, very seldom do we ask ourselves what feels best to us and for our art. A large part of being an artist is having a genuine trust in ourselves in order to allow ourselves the freedom to create from our heart. We just have to listen to our heart and the affect that it has on the market. The hardest lesson I have had to learn is "Just because I can create and make money does not mean I should create and accept money for and from everyone."

Be true to who you are and you shall never fail. - ME

Leave Comments and Let me know what you think. TTYL